The World Series ended with Joaquin Arias at third base and Gregor Blanco in left field for victorious San Francisco. There was a message there for the Rangers.

The penny-stocks market known as minor league free agency offers treasures.

The Giants followed the usual steps to put together a World Series winner.

They drafted and developed, with catcher and National League Most Valuable Player Buster Posey at the top of the list. They traded for inspirational outfielder Hunter Pence. They pulled third baseman Pedro Sandoval out of the Dominican Republic as a 16-year-old free agent. They gave big bucks to free-agent left-hander Barry Zito.

The Giants also worked the minor league free-agent market, which consists of unsigned players with at least six years of experience and not on a major league roster at the end of a season. They picked up Arias and Blanco as minor league free agents after the 2011 season, and both played vital complementary roles on a championship club.

Arias, a former Ranger, appeared in 112 games at three infield spots. Blanco filled in after Melky Cabrera received a 50-game suspension for using a performance-enhancing drug.

Another Giants minor league signing helped keep the Rangers from winning the American League West. San Francisco added left-hander Travis Blackley as a minor league free agent but lost him to Oakland in May on a waiver claim. Blackley had six wins, two against the Rangers, and 1072/3 innings.

Blackley was not Oakland’s most important minor league free agent. First baseman Brandon Moss had 21 homers in 265 at-bats.

The Rangers signed 11 minor league free agents for last season and used two at the major league level: infielders Alberto Gonzalez and Luis Hernandez. They combined for only 13 hits and four RBIs in 26 games. The Rangers had minimal depth.

“Every avenue available to add talent is important,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. “The lower-cost acquisitions from waiver claims, minor league free agency … can play a big role. In some ways, that’s where the best scouts can really make a direct impact.”

The Rangers have a collection of top-flight scouts. Those scouts can pick out the talent in a minor league free-agent field that ranges from right-hander Joel Pineiro, who has 104 major league wins, to infielder Brandon Wood, the prospect of all prospects when coming up with the Los Angeles Angels before turning into a bust.

The problem for the Rangers in this market is they have too many rising young players.

Minor league free agents want playing time to keep careers alive. The Rangers offered that at the Triple-A level last season, but none of the additions took advantage of the opportunity.

That window is closing. Tim Purpura, senior director of player development, indicated the Rangers may have fewer mostly older minor league free agents at the Double- and Triple-A levels next season because the organization has younger talent that needs to play.

“Where a club is at in its lifecycle really determines the point of view,” Purpura said. “You certainly look at the [minor league] free agents as depth and as insurance.”

The Rangers have signed seven minor league free agents to date. Two of the newcomers have major league experience: outfielder Aaron Cunningham and left-hander Scott Olsen.

The Rangers will continue to look at the list, with a focus on catchers and relievers. Along the way, the Rangers could find the next Miguel Gonzalez.

With no expectations, Baltimore added Gonzalez as a minor league free agent on March 1. He joined a sagging rotation in July, and the Orioles went 11-4 in his starts. That got the Orioles into the playoffs for the first time since 1997, and they opened by eliminating the Rangers. Those signings marked only by small type can be important.

Follow Gerry Fraley on Twitter at @gfraley.

Minor stars

Staff writer Gerry Fraley selects his all-minor league free-agent team from last season:

To post a comment, log into your chosen social network and then add your comment below. Your comments are subject to our Terms of Service and the privacy policy and terms of service of your social network. If you do not want to comment with a social network, please consider writing a letter to the editor.